Child&#39;s amusement device



1965 w. H. STRAUSSER 3,163,310

CHILD'S AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed April 24, 1965 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM H. STRAUSSER WZ WW ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice3,168,319 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 3,168,310 HELDS AMUSEMENT BEVHIEWiiiiarn H. Strausser, 5882 Parker, Apt. 9, Detroit, Mich. Fiied Apr.24, 1963, Ser. No. 275,273 4 Ciainis. (Cl. 272-54) This inventionrelates generally to a childs amusement device and refers moreparticularly to a device of the rocking or swinging type.

One object of this invention is to provide a childs amusement device ofthe type having a swinging unit for supporting at least one child,provided with spring means for resisting the swinging of the unit with arelatively low resistance initially and with a sudden much higherresistance during the last part of oscillation to produce a substantialrebound action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a childs amusement devicehaving a first spring acting on the swinging unit throughout arelatively large arc of oscillation from neutral position, and a secondspring acting on the unit only during the final part of the oscillationthereof.

Another object is to provide a childs amusement device in which thesecond spring adds substantially to the total resistance, providing asubstantial rebound effect.

Another object is to make the second spring considerably stronger thanthe first spring.

Another object is to provide a childs amusement device in which theswinging unit is designed to carry two children, one on either side ofan upright supporting member in the plane of swinging movement.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a childs amusement device embodying myinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and insection of the device shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end view.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of a portion of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a section view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion ofFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of another portion ofFIGURE 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the device includes aframe it having a heavy base 12 and vertical, laterally spaced, parallelside plates 14 rigidly secured to and projecting upwardly from the base.

A swinging unit generally indicated at 16 is pivoted to the frame. Theswinging unit comprises an elongated generally upright member 18 whichextends between the plates 14 and is pivoted thereto for swingingmovement in a vertical plane parallel to the planes of the plates by ahorizontal pivot pin 20 extending between and connecting the plates. Thepin 20 has a head at one end and a nut 22 is threaded on the oppositeend so that the pin can be easily removed. The upper swinging portion ofthe upright member 18 carries a crossbar 24 which extends through and issecured to the member. The crossbar 24 extends in the plane of swingingmovement of the upright member 18 and near each end has an elongatedcutout portion providing fiat surfaces 26. Seats 28 are slidablysupported on the flat surfaces 26 and are retained thereon by brackets30. The brackets are secured to the undersides of the seats 28 andencircle the crossbar 24 to permit the seats to slide but prevent themfrom being separated from the crossbar. The flat surfaces 26 prevent theseats from rotating and the shoulders 32 and 34 at either end of eachcutout provide limits determining the extent of sliding movement of theseats longitudinally of the crossbar. Handles 36 and foot rests 38 arealso provided on the upright member.

The upright member has a depending portion 49 be tween the side plateswhich is formed with a slot 42. The slot 42 is open at the lower end ofthe depending por tion and extends upward a short distance between thesides of the upright member to provide a fork-shape in which the legs 44of the fork are on either side of the slot. The plates 46 are secured toopposite sides of the depending portion at its lower end and are formedwith slots 48 which likewise are open at their lower ends and generallymatch the slot 42 in the depending portion of the upright member whichthey overlie. Hence the plates 46, by reason of the slots 48, aregenerally U-shaped.

A curved rod 50 is located between the plates 14 of the frame and isprovided with an eye at each end. Pins '52 extend through the eyes andthrough the plates 14, each having a head at one end and a nut 54threaded on the other end so that the pins 52 can be easily removed. Therod extends between its ends in an arc whose center coincides with thepin 20. The rod extends in the plane of swinging of the upright memberand it will be noted that it extends through the registering notches orslots 42 and 48 in the depending portion 40 of the upright member andend plates 46. Hence the slots 42 and 48 clear the rod so that theupright member can swing or oscillate without interference with the rod.

An abutment flange 58 is secured to the rod at each end thereof. Acompression coil spring 60 winds about the rod and is compressed betweenone of the flanges 58 and a plate 46 carried by the depending portion ofthe upright member, and a compression coil spring '62 winds about therod and is compressed between the other flange 58 and the other plate 46carried by the depending portion of the upright member 18. When theupright member is vertical as shown in solid lines in FIGURE 2, it isheld centered by the springs 60 and 62 which act on the dependingportion of the upright member under a light pressure. Flanges 63 arefixed on the ends of springs 60 and 62 and slide on rod 50 so as to abutagainst plates 46.

Two additional compression coil springs 68 and 70 are also wound aroundthe rod 50. Spring 68 is secured to one of the flanges 58 at one end,and is secured toanother flange 74 at the other end. Flange 74 has acentral hole 76 to clear the rod 50 and spring 60. The other spring '70has one end secured to the other flange 58 and the other end secured toa flange 78, which flange likewise has a central hole to clear the rod50 and spring 62. The springs 68 and 70 are considerably stronger, thatis they offer greater resistance to compression than the springs so and62.

In use, the upright member is rocked or tilted back and forth either byone child occupying one of the seats or by two children occupying bothseats. As the upright member 18 rocks, the seats 28 can slidelongitudinally of the crossbar 24. When the upright member rocks to thedotted line position of FIGURE 2, the spring 60 is compressed more andmore to offer increasing resistance to the swinging movement. Furtherswinging causes the depending portion of the upright member to contactthe flange 74, compressing spring 68. Spring 68 is considerably heavierthan spring 60 and hence provides a sudden increase in the resistance toswinging of the upright member. The added resistance provided by spring68 is enough to provide a substantial rebound, that is a sudden reversalof movement tending to return the unit to its neutral or uprightposition. The strength of spring 68 can of course vary depending uponthe jolt or rebound desired. Even where it is desired that the reboundaction be not too sudden or violet the spring 68 Will provide a cushionand a rather brisk return swing toward neutral position. It will beobvious that oscillation in the opposite direction from neutral willmeet with the same spring resistance. First the weaker spring 62 willact to oppose movement from the neutral upright position, and then theheavier spring 70 will effect a rather sudden reversal. The springs 60and 62 are not secured to the depending portion of the upright member sothat the upright member when moving clockwise, for example, will moveout of contact with the spring 62. If desired, the upper ends of thesprings 60 and 62 can be secured to flanges 58.

It will be apparent that the springs 60 and 62 resist changing movementin one direction or the other throughout the full extent of the arc ofoscillation. The springs 68 and 70 come into play only during the finalportion of the oscillation.

Since the parallel pins and 52 can be readily removed from the plates 14by merely unthreading the nuts 22 and 54, the upright member 18 and theassembly including the rod 50 and springs can be readily removed fromthe supporting frame. The upright member can be removed without removalof the rod 50 since the notches 42 and 48 at the lower end of theupright member permit the upright member to be separated from the rod bya simple upward movement.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A childs amusement device comprising a supporting frame having twovertical, laterally spaced parallel plates, a swinging unit including agenerally upright member extending between said plates and pivotedthereto on a horizontal pin connecting said plates, said upright memberhaving a riding portion projecting above said pin and above said plates,seating structure carried by said riding portion and having means forsupporting a child on both sides of said upright member in the plane ofoscillation thereof, said upright member having a depending portionbeneath said pin and between said plates, a rod mounted between saidplates and extending in an arc centered at said pin, and means forresiliently centering said upright member in a neutral vertical positionand for resisting oscillation thereof in either direction from saidneutral position including a first compression coil spring coaxial withand carried by said rod at one side of said depending portion and actingthereon when said upright member is in neutral position and throughout arelatively large arc of oscillation of said upright member in onedirection from said neutral position to impose a yielding resistancethereto, a second compression coil spring coaxial with and carried bysaid rod at said one side of said depending portion acting thereon onlyduring the final part of the oscillation of said upright member in saidone direction to impose a yielding resistance thereto, a thirdcompression coil spring coaxial with and carried by said rod at theopposite side of said depending portion and acting thereon when saidupright member is in neutral position and throughout a relatively largepart of oscillation of said upright member in the opposite directionfrom said neutral position to impose a yielding resistance thereto, anda fourth compression coil spring coaxial with and carried by said rod atsaid opposite side of said depending portion and acting thereon onlyduring the final part of the oscillation of said upright member in saidopposite direction to impose a yielding resistance thereto.

2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein said second and fourth springsare respectively stronger than said first and third springs.

3. The devicedefined in claim 2, wherein said depending portion ofsaidupright memberhas a clearance opening through which said rod passes.

4. The device defined in claim 3, wherein said clearance opening is aslot extending longitudinally of said upright member and opening at thelower end thereof whereby, when said upright member is disconnected fromsaid horizontal pin, said upright member can be separated from said rodby a movement at right angles thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,325,988 8/43Thomas 46l47 2,398,122 4/46 Souza 272X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, PrimaryExaminer.

1. A CHILD''S AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING FRAME HAVING TWOVERTICAL, LATERALLY SPACED PARALLEL PLATES, A SWINGING UNIT INCLUDING AGENERALLY UPRIGHT MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PLATES AND PIVOTEDTHERETO ON A HORIZONTAL PIN CONNECTING SAID PLATES, SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERHAVING A RIDING PORTION PROJECTING ABOVE SAID PIN AND ABOVE SAID PLATES,SEATING STRUCTURE CARRIED BY SAID RIDING PORTION AND HAVING MEANS FORSUPPORTING A CHILD ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER IN THE PLANE OFOSCILLATION THEREOF, SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER HAVING A DEPENDING PORTIONBENEATH SAID PIN AND BETWEEN SAID PLATES, A ROD MOUNTED BETWEEN SAIDPLATES AND EXTENDING IN AN ARC CENTERED AT SAID PIN, AND MEANS FORRESILIENTLY CENTERING SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER IN A NEUTRAL VERTICAL POSITIONAND FOR RESISTING OSCILLATION THEREOF IN EITHER DIRECTION FROM SAIDNEUTRAL POSITION INCLUDING A FIRST COMPRESSION COIL SPRING COAXIAL WITHAND CARRIED BY SAID ROD AT ONE SIDE OF SAID DEPENDING PORTION AND ACTINGTHEREON WHEN SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER IS IN NEUTRAL POSITION AND THROUGHOUT ARELATIVELY LARGE ARC OF OSCILLATION OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER IN ONEDIRECTION FROM SAID NEUTRAL POSITION TO IMPOSE A YIELDING RESISTANCETHERETO, A SECOND COMPRESSION COIL SPRING COAXIAL WITH AND CARRIED BYSAID ROD AT SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID DEPENDING PORTION ACTING THEREON ONLYDURING THE FINAL PART OF THE OSCILLATION OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER IN SAIDONE DIRECTION TO IMPOSE A YIELDING RESISTANCE THERETO, A THIRDCOMPRESSION COIL SPRING COAXIAL WITH AND CARRIED BY SAID ROD AT THEOPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID DEPENDING PORTION AND ACTING THEREON WHEN SAIDUPRIGHT MEMBER IS IN NEUTRAL POSITION AND THROUGHOUT A RELATIVELY LARGEPART OF OSCILLATION OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTIONFROM SAID NEUTRAL POSITION TO IMPOSE A YIELDING RESISTANCE THERETO, ANDA FOURTH COMPRESSION COIL SPRING COAXIAL WITH AND CARRIED BY SAID ROD ATSAID OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID DEPENDING PORTION AND ACTING THEREON ONLYDURING THE FINAL PART OF THE OSCILLATION OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER IN SAIDOPPOSITE DIRECTION TO IMPOSE A YIELDING RESISTANCE THERETO.